IHR Hotel San Paolo

A traditional Sardinian style runs through this 42-room hotel, set among gardens directly beside the sea. You have a private sandy beach, a sun terrace and a lawn with parasols, so the basic plan is pleasingly simple: swim, sit down, eat something, repeat as required.

The setting suits divers who want the water close but do not need a resort built around a loud programme. Couples can keep the day unhurried, while families have room choices that accommodate up to four people. After a day in salt water, air conditioning, a minibar and a proper restaurant matter more than a lobby full of decorative promises. Here, the practical comforts are in the right places.

You are in Porto San Paolo, on Sardinia's north-eastern coast, directly on the seafront and facing the islands of Tavolara and Molara. Porticciolo Beach is right by the property, while Porto San Paolo Spiaggia is about 350 metres away. Isola dei Cavalli Beach is roughly 0.5 km away, and Spiaggia Costa Coralina about 850 metres away.

The coastline here is made up of small sandy beaches, shallow clear water and low stretches of pink granite. For a change of scene, Punta La Greca is about 1 mile away. Three restaurants sit within roughly 0.2 miles, and Portici Caffè is about 0.5 miles away, giving you alternatives when the hotel's veranda is not calling.

Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport is about 6 miles away by road. Olbia railway station is around 10 miles away, while the Archaeological Museum of Olbia is about 9 miles away. Tavolara lies about 2 miles from the hotel, with the marine park forming the obvious geographical headline for anyone who prefers fins to shopping.

For two people, the Double or Twin Room is the straightforward choice: one large king-size bed, a private bathroom and the essentials for a night when your main ambition is horizontal. Air conditioning helps take the edge off a hot Sardinian day, while the minibar gives you somewhere to keep a cold drink for the return from the beach or the boat.

If you are travelling with children or a small group, the family and quadruple arrangements use bunk beds alongside a large bed. The larger triple and quadruple layouts give you more breathing room than the smaller family option, particularly when bags, beach towels and the rest of the holiday clutter begin to colonise the floor. The family rooms make the most sense when sleeping arrangements matter more than couple-style space.

Rooms also include a flat-screen TV, telephone, wardrobe or cupboard, tiled or marble flooring and a hairdryer. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, and the property has free WiFi, non-smoking rooms and luggage storage. A private bathroom is part of the accommodation offer, with bath or shower, towels and toilet facilities.

Meals are served in a restaurant with a sea-facing veranda, which is exactly where you want dinner when the view has already done most of the talking. The kitchen covers national and local Italian cooking, with breakfast, lunch and dinner available. Breakfast comes as a buffet, useful when you need coffee first and decisions later.

There is one bar: the American Bar, with beach service. That saves you the small but irritating journey from sun lounger to indoor civilisation when a drink is required. A coffee house is also on site, and the minibar in your room gives you a private reserve for the moment when you return tired, sandy and unwilling to dress for company.

Kids' meals and special-diet menus are available on request. Wine and champagne are available, and packed lunches can be arranged for days when you intend to stay out rather than return for the midday meal. Drinks are excluded from the restaurant meals, so factor that into the way you prefer to organise your days.

The private beach is the main piece of leisure equipment, and it needs no instruction manual. You can move between sand, shallow water and the garden without turning the afternoon into a logistical exercise. Sun loungers, beach chairs, umbrellas, outdoor furniture and a sun terrace give you several ways to stop moving.

Snorkelling is available off site, while canoeing and hiking are listed as activities nearby or arranged away from the hotel. Diving is also available off site, with the coast and the Tavolara marine park providing the reason to look beyond the beach. The hotel itself keeps the quieter options close: a furnished terrace, a lawned garden and a shared lounge with television.

For a couple, that can be enough. One of you can take the shade, the other can take the water, and nobody needs to pretend that a full activity timetable is essential. Families have access to family rooms and children's meals, while children of any age are welcome; children aged 13 and over are treated as adults for the accommodation rules.

Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport is about 6 miles away by road, and an airport shuttle is available through the hotel. A shuttle service can also be arranged. If you are driving, private parking is available on site and requires a reservation. The front desk operates around the clock, with luggage storage available for the awkward hours between arrival, departure and beach time.

Check-in runs from 17:00 to 23:00, and check-out from 08:00 to 10:00. You need to provide photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel needs your expected arrival time in advance. Cash is listed among the accepted payment methods. Guests under 18 may check in only with a parent or official guardian.

Cots can be requested for children aged from 0 to 2, subject to the selected accommodation and availability. There are no extra beds. Pets are not allowed, and the hotel is non-smoking throughout. Free WiFi is available, alongside a safety deposit box at reception.